For while Sheffield are strong favourites to regain the title they last held in 2004 and fancied to strengthen their claim when they take on Harrogate at Ilkley on Sunday, there will still be much to play for at Mid Yorkshire, Darrington, near Pontefract, which sees its first league action after the match was switched from Leeds (Cobble Hall).

Leeds and Bradford are both going through a re-building process, having just lost their leading players to the professional ranks.

Marcus Armitage, the reigning Leeds Amateur champion from Howley Hall, has taken the big step and Gareth Evans, the England elite squad player from Northcliffe who won the Yorkshire Amateur title in 2006, has gone down the same road.

I understand that Evans has moved to Spain and has obtained an attachment with a club there.

Leeds, who include current Yorkshire champion Richard Law, give debuts to Howley Hall youngster Gareth Johnson, runner-up in the Yorkshire Under-16 championship, and Wakefield's Darren Walton.

Neil Kinghorn, from Wakefield, makes his first appearance of the season which will take him to within one match of gaining his Union colours though he first appeared for Leeds more than five years ago.

Bradford, who have lost a dozen players this year, have new Bradford Open winner Sam Jewell on duty and will give a debut to Skipton's Matt Ryder.

Other matches take East Riding to Allerthorpe Park to meet Teesside while York host Halifax-Huddersfield at Heworth.

Leeds: D Appleyard (South Leeds), R Law (Low Laithes), S Coumbe (Pontefract), L Cooper (Headingley), N Kinghorn (Wakefield), L Maguire (Howley Hall), S Cain (Scarcroft), A Stringer (Wakefield), B Hardcastle (Wike Ridge), G Johnson (Howley Hall), D Walton (Wakefield), S Appleton (Mid Yorkshire).

Bradford: D Bairstow (West Bradford), K Curran (South Bradford), S Jewell (Bradford), L O'Neill (Bingley St Ives), M Ryder (Skipton), N Colbeck (Cleckheaton), T Robertshaw (Cleckheaton), M Weighman (The Manor), D Teece (Baildon), D Rowley (Shipley), J Firth (Baildon), J Simpson (Shipley).

Meanwhile, Oliver Broome swept up the honours with a superb performance at the Leeds Union Net championship at Scarcroft.

The 18 handicap Temple Newsam member carded 65 to win by a shot from home club man John Harrison (11) to claim the John Robertshaw Trophy.

Group prize winners: 0-9 handicap: 67 – M Squire (Scarcroft, 9); 69 – C Shillito (South Leeds, 9). 10-18: 68 – J Mulligan (Sand Moor, 13); 70 – T Larner (Temple Newsam, 18). 19-28:73 – H Cowling (Temple Newsam, 20); 75 – P Stephenson (Temple Newsam, 20).

Elsewhere, East Bierley's Jackie Barraclough beat former county player Carol Firth in the final of the Bradford Ladies championship to keep the title in the family – her daughter, Katie, beaten in the first round by Firth, won last year.